When you as a father show a genuine interest in your daughter and treat her with respect, you’re sending a very positive message to her. You’re telling her that all men should treat her in a similar manner. And darn it…they should!

Of course you want the best for your little girl, you want her to be safe, strong. You want her ready for anything – to face any challenge that comes her way, without worrying about her being over powered by some disrespectful guy. You certainly don’t want her seeking out dysfunctional relationships because of the way she was raised by her father. It’s important to be able to take a step back, look at your relationship with your daughter and evaluate it…leaving your pride and “Don’t tell me how to raise my kid” attitude behind you. Think to yourself what is best for your little girl.
Whether you or someone you know need help building a positive dad/daughter relationship or maybe just need a reconnect. There are some great tips here to help you on your way.

A great first step is to get involved in your daughter’s life. We all have rough, long days at work and put up with enormous loads of crap from people, but you’re a parent. You don’t get to come home after work and immediately turn on the TV or flip on your iPad? Reevaluate your priorities. By getting involved with at least one aspect of your daughter’s life, you will see a change in how connected the two of you are. Try maybe coaching her sports team or have dinner with the family a few times a week. Get to know the dads in her social circle is huge. Then you’re all on the same page.
Respecting her mother is and your own mother will speak volumes to your little girl about how men treat women. It will show her what she should expect in the future. Think about it this way. You love your daughter more than anything so always treat your wife the way you want your daughter’s future husband to treat her. Trust me, she is watching you for cues on how to behave with men.

Also hug her! Don’t EVER forget…no matter how old your daughter gets, never stop showing her affection. Hugs may not seem welcome when she’s a teen and is acting like she is embarrassed to be around you, but studies show that the teenage years are the most formative time for a young girl’s self-esteem. She needs those hugs – especially from her father.

Kids, a job, a mortgage, tons of bills to pay and your wife says…”what happened to your body?” Like many men, back in college we were in great shape, ripped up, playing football, baseball, basketball etc. You could drink a 12 pack of beer and be burning it off as you were drinking it. Those were the days right? Then like a brick wall it hits you in the face – RESPONSIBILITIES! Now your a husband, father and wage earner and the time you used to spend exercising is far and few in between.

This is why Dr. Travis Jewett has created Dad Strong, a simple program for busy guys like him. The cool part about this is that it gets your kids involved too. The program takes just a few minutes a day. Dr Jwewtt says, “I think that many parents make the assumption that teachers and coaches who run their kids’ teams and programs are paying attention to whether the children are moving correctly. While I admire the work these people do, often they’re oblivious to that part of it. So I wanted to educate parents about how to move safely so they could not only improve their own performance but also help their kids move well.”

One thing to remember is proper nutrition plays a huge factor. It is very important to learn how to cook real food. You and your wife may both be working parents, with 4 kids, all in different activities, but it’s a good thing to make an effort to sit down at the table together with good, nutritious food. You and your wife should be splitting the cooking duties. There is no need to spend all of your money on supplements but you can get everything you need from real food.

If your worried about your Dad bod, and don’t want your kids to develop one at an early age, get in the gym, in the garage…anyway you can get your heart rate up for at a minimum of 30 minutes a day…do it! It’s never too early to get your kids involved either.

Just because you have become a mother, that doesn’t mean you stop being someone’s child. The effects of an abusive, toxic, or damaging mother can be passed down through generations without you even knowing it. New mothers hoping to take their parenting down another, non-toxic direction have a tough road to travel.

Kathryn Smerling, Ph.D., LCSW, a family therapy professional who practices in Manhattan states, “There is an axiom in family therapy known as repeat and repair; you either repeat the same mistakes or repair them. Either you mindlessly keep the same cycle going that you experienced as a child or you decide to be the one to make the change. To stop a hurtful cycle in its tracks, you have to understand what about your childhood worked, and what didn’t. You can educate yourself about healthy parenting practices, and put your knowledge to work each day as you endeavor to break the cycle.”

Try hard not to let the past creep up on the present. These damaged roots influence just about everything in our lives — and go much deeper than you realize. The past is a part of you. The way you were raised influences psychological and emotional development. It can hinder your ability to move on in this world with purpose and comfort.

One thing we often do when trying to change patterns is overcompensation. Keep in mind though that trying to be the perfect parent all the time is incredibly stressful, and sadly, usually doomed to fail. You’re not Supergirl and shouldn’t try to pretend to be. Relax, take lots of deep breaths and be aware of your actions and what you’re trying to overcome.

Possibly one of the most important things to remember is to not forget about self-care. It’s so vitally important to remember to make time for self-care. Yoga classes, therapy, artistic pursuits, and hobbies. Remember what they tell you on a commercial airline flight – secure your own oxygen mask before helping others. It translates into many facets of life – you are no good to others if you can’t function properly yourself.

Don’t give up and DON’T GIVE INTO ANGER. Once you give in to anger and frustration you have lost. Stay on course, taking time for yourself when you feel overwhelmed. Talk to your spouse, friends and family for support.

When thinking of the 1990’s, what toys pop into your head? Snap Bracelets, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, X-Men, maybe Beanie Babies? There’s a chance you’re still obsessed with or fondly remember the toys and collectibles of the nineties. If you are, you may want to get out in the garage or hit the attic and start rummaging through boxes. If you happened to save some of your toys from the decade, you could be sitting on some cash.

Some people like Mark Bellomo, a toy-collecting expert and author of several books including, The Ultimate Guide to Vintage Transformers Action Figures have been collecting toys for years and even as a children, never opened some of their toys to keep them in pristine condition. Contrary to what most people think, Mark says in his book, “It’s rarely the action figure that’s worth a lot of money — it’s the accouterment because that’s what makes the figure complete. Accessories are as important or more important than the base figure itself.” Owning more than 65,000 toys, Bellomo is considered an expert in the toy collecting field. He knows how toy collectors think, and what makes a toy worth something.

Of course 1990’s toys haven’t aged as much as toys from the seventies and eighties which in general means they are not worth as much. Bellomo says, “Usually 15 years later is when the market starts to bear fruit.” That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start taking a look to see what you may have. You could be surprised.

A few examples of toys that are currently worth placing on eBay are;

American Girl Dolls: Kirsten LarsonThe Kirsten Larson American Girl doll can sell for roughly $1,500. But of course, there’s a caveat. Bellomo says the doll will only fetch that amount if she’s sealed in the original package and comes with all of her original accessories.

Deluxe Power Rangers Gold Galaxy MegazordA rare find is the Deluxe Power Rangers Gold Galaxy Megazord released in black and gold – extremely limited in 1999. In fact, the toy was only sold at the now-defunct FAO Schwartz and today could fetch up to $1000 on the secondary market.

Sega Genesis and Games
The console and even some Sega games can go from $300-400 dollars, but the key requirement is everything needs to be sealed in its original packaging and in mint condition.

Toy Biz Rare X-Men Action Figures
Toy Biz was one of the few companies to hold the license for DC and Marvel at the same time in the nineties. If the action figure is still in the package and is in pristine condition, it may fetch anywhere from $50-$200

Okay this is really cool! You know how you like to keep your kids baby clothes for sentimental reasons but you never know what to do with them? You struggle to find a place to store them so you still have access to them but they inevitably end up in a box in the garage which completely defeats the purpose of saving them in the first place.

Good news has arrived. Thanks to artists and crafty moms, people are now turning old baby clothes into teddy bears called Memory Bears and they are a huge hit! If your not a fan of bears or your child likes a different kind of animal, it doesn’t have to be a bear…you can try any animal you like!